Numbers and Counting

Les nombres et le calcul

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Learn the French numbers and how to count from 0 to 59.

French Numbers: 0-19

The numbers 0 to 19 are pretty easy in French; you just need to memorize them like any other vocabulary:

  Proper French pronunciation

You’ll notice that the consonants at the end of cinq and huit are pronounced. However, this is only true when the numbers stand alone (as in the sound files), precede a vowel or h muet, or are at the end of a sentence. When either of these numbers is followed by a consonant, that final sound is dropped.

Par exemple…

Six and dix offer further complications.

• The x is pronounced [s] when they stand alone or are at the end of a sentence.
• In front of a vowel, the pronunciation changes to [z] due to the required required liaison.
• It’s silent when followed by a consonant

Par exemple…

 French number practice

Get used to French numbers with these listen-and-repeat exercises, as well as random number files to test your comprehension:

• Numbers 0-9
• Numbers 10-19

Using French numbers

Lessons that rely on your understanding of French numbers:

• Dates
• Telling time

French expressions with numbers

• à la une – on the front page of the newspaper, headline news
• le cinq à sept – afternoon tryst
• chercher midi à 14 heures
• couper les cheveux en quatre – to split hairs, quibble
• en deux temps, trois mouvements – in double time, very quickly
• faire d’une pierre deux coups – to kill two birds with one stone
• haut comme trois pommes – very young
• il ne casse pas trois pattes à un canard – he’s nothing special
• quatre à quatre – very quickly
• tourner sept fois sa langue dans sa bouche – to think long and hard (before speaking)
• un de ces quatre (matins) – one of these days
• un tiens vaut mieux que deux tu l’auras – a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
• le vendredi treize – Friday the 13th

French Numbers: 20-59

The French numbers 20 through 59 are formed just like their English equivalents: the tens word (vingt, trente, quarante, cinquante) is joined by a hyphen to the ones word (un, deux, trois, etc).

 There is one difference: for 21, 31, 41, and 51, the word et (and) is required between the tens word and un, without hyphens.

 Listening practice: 20-59

Using French numbers

• Dates
• Phone numbers
• Telling time
• PwLF super list of number lessons

Expressions with French numbers

• 24 heures sur 24 – 24 hours a day
• se mettre sur son trente et un – to get dressed to the nines
• tous les trente-six du mois – once in a blue moon

 French lesson plans

• Color by numbers (Worksheet, 3rd-5th grade)
• Count on me (Worksheet, 1st-5th grade)
• Counting numbers (Worksheet, 1st-3rd grade)
• French numbers printable (Worksheet, 4th-12th grade)
• Learn your numbers (Worksheet, 1st-2nd grade)

 More French numbers

• 60 to 99 | 100 and up
• Approximate numbers
• Fractions
• Multiplicative numbers
• Number practice
• Number troubles
• Ordinal numbers
• Roman numerals

 French for beginners

Self-study checklist with lessons, quizzes, and comprehension exercises.
 

 En español

• Números y recuento
   

 In italiano

• Numeri e conteggio
   

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